The primary goal of training programs is to ensure participants develop the required knowledge and capabilities to maximize on-the-job performance.
To improve the effectiveness of training programs, it is important for training professionals to develop strategies that support the transfer of training (or learning) and create evaluation methods that effectively measure the impact of the instructional process.
Research the concept of transfer of training.
Why is the topic important to employee training and development? Justify your response, giving at least three reasons, supported by at least two scholarly resources.
Transfer of Traning
Training is recognized as one of the best strategies for improving performance, and many organizations make significant investments to improve productivity through training. However, organizations do not always reap the full value of their investments because training participants do not always apply training content on the job.
Reinforcing the lessons learned to help training participants apply the training content is one of the biggest challenges that training professionals face.
Transfer of training is the ability of training participants to apply the knowledge, behavior, attitudes, and skills learned in training to the workplace. Transfer of training accelerates learning, but it is estimated that only about 10 to 20 percent of training content is retained and reflected in behavioral change in the workplace environment.
Training is a process, not an event. It begins by changing behaviors, which support a change in attitudes. When this does not occur, training has failed. The transfer of training can be achieved through a variety of approaches that make training memorable, reinforcing retention.
For example, real-life issues and experiences that are integrated into the curriculum are much more relevant and meaningful, and motivate trainees to utilize their newly learned behaviors and skills when they are back on the job.
To ensure transfer of learning, training objectives must be strategically aligned to organizational goals and objectives, and training participants must be supported in the transfer-of-learning process. Moreover, organizations should undertake training initiatives only after comprehensive business and performance analyses have been conducted and other performance improvement interventions have been examined.
Training evaluation assesses the effectiveness of training. It measures the worth and impact of training programs by measuring:
o Participant perceptions
o Learning
o Transfer of learning
o Bottom-line results
The primary purpose of the evaluation is to ensure that the goals of the training process are aligned with business needs and performance standards while producing the desired levels of performance. Correctly done, evaluations can positively impact the organization by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of training content and methods, employee performance, organizational productivity, and return on investment.
The purpose of the learning organization is to individually and collectively increase performance capacity through new ideas and innovative methods that produce results. By creating learning experiences that produce insight and understanding, training professionals can help to build shared vision and values, while expanding the capacity to help shape the organization's future.